


Power Lunch

by TARDIS_stowaway



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-02
Updated: 2009-05-02
Packaged: 2017-10-17 20:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDIS_stowaway/pseuds/TARDIS_stowaway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan’s recent improvement as a senator gets noticed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Power Lunch

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers through S3 finale ("An Invisible Thread"), written prior to S4.

Albert Rhodes, senior senator from Iowa and one of Washington’s biggest movers and shakers, sidled through the bustling Senate dining room straight toward Nathan Petrelli.

“Nathan!  Great work out there this week,” Rhodes said, taking the chair across from the junior Senator.

Nathan made motions at his mouth to indicate that he was chewing.  After swallowing, he replied, “Just doing my job.”

“No, I mean it.  Those changes you suggested will make the program work so much better.  Without that work and your persuasions of the fence-sitters, I don’t think the bill would have passed.”

“Thanks, Albert.  It’s just a matter of seeing how everything fits together:  budgets, organizations, people.  Simple, really, if you pay attention,” Nathan said with a self-deprecating smile. 

Rhodes glanced down at Nathan’s food.  “Wow.  If that steak of yours were any rarer, it would say ‘moo,’” he commented, noting the livid color.

“I like it this way.  Tastes more real—I like the reminder that once I’m eating something that used to be alive.”  After a pause for another bite, Nathan clarified, “Not some processed chemical mess.” 

“Hmm,” Rhodes said, eyeing the bones in his grilled chicken with a sudden reduction of appetite.  He picked at his salad instead.  After a few moments of quiet munching, the older politician launched into his point.

“Listen, Nathan.  I’m really impressed with the way you’ve turned yourself around.  Your first few months of office, it was like being a senator was last on your priority list. The number of votes you missed was ridiculous.  The economy’s up shit creek with no paddle and a leaky canoe, and you were so wrapped up in your secret national security project that you didn’t seem to notice.  Then all of a sudden it’s like you’re super senator.  Everything you touch is golden.  You get the nitty-gritty policy stuff better than half the guys who’ve been in this town for decades.  Better yet, you’ve got a talent for making people pay attention to you.  I tell you, Nathan, you’re really something special.”

Without looking up from his food, Nathan replied, “Special, huh?  I’m glad you think so, Albert.  I like to think I’m doing good for the world, but I’m just a man trying to serve his country as best he can.” 

“Don’t give me that bullshit we put out for the cameras. I know you have ambitions.  You like power; we all do here. What I’m saying is that, with the right advice, I think you actually have what it takes to wield the power well and go far with it.  Keep this up, my friend, and the sky’s the limit!”  Rhodes gestured expansively. 

Slowly, Nathan raised his head just enough so he could look up through his eyelashes and meet Rhodes’s gaze.  The young senator’s eyes smoldered with sudden intensity.  “Why stop at the sky?” he asked, voice soft and deeper than usual. 

Rhodes found himself unable to look away from the other man’s gaze.  Nathan held the eye contact as he speared a bite of meat and bit down. He chewed methodically, a tiny dribble of red juice running down his chin.  The small smile he gave after swallowing had nothing to do with humor.

Albert Rhodes was not the sort to be intimidated by other people.  Climbing the political ranks, he’d met CEOs, generals, angry soccer moms, and kings, and not a one of them had prompted so much as a sweaty palm.   He interpreted death threat letters as a sign that he’d made it to the big leagues of power.  Since childhood, he had looked at others with the self-assurance of a shepherd among sheep.  Now, entirely unexpectedly, he saw a wolf looking back. Rhodes felt the hairs on his arms standing up under his suit.  His heartbeat sounded louder than all the bustle around them. Something in Petrelli’s expression hinted at a secret as dangerous as all the closed-door meetings in Washington and far more savage.

Then Nathan Petrelli looked away and dabbed at his chin with a napkin.  The moment was gone as if it had never been. Nathan bore the expression of slightly goofy concentration of anyone trying to get food off of his face. 

A petite blonde came up and whispered something in Nathan’s ear.  The senator sighed.  “Listen, Albert, thanks for all you’ve said.  I may take you up on that offer of advice.  Now I’ve got to take off.  My intern here tells me there’s some new information I need to see before the committee meeting if I want to avoid saying something idiotic that will play in endless repetition on The Daily Show.   Again.”  He stood up and offered a hand to Rhodes.  Rhodes rose to take it, giving himself an opportunity to surreptitiously wipe his palms dry on his pants as he stood.

“If you ever figure out the trick to that, let me know,” Rhodes joked, taking care that his handgrip was firm as ever.  Nathan laughed warmly and turned to go.  Rhodes sank back into his chair with relief. 

Nathan’s aide moved away, and Nathan followed after her.  Rhodes consciously shook off the strange rush of fear.  He hadn’t been sleeping well lately, and the media had been on his case—stress was making him paranoid. Nothing more.  He’d known Nathan for years; Petrelli was no more dangerous than any other ambitious young politician.  And if, for an instant, the aide seemed to be running away while Nathan pursued at a measured walk and still gained ground, well, she was in a hurry and Nathan had long legs. That was all.


End file.
